Probe police anti-kidnapping squad in Lagos

Muktar S. C. Muktaila, Lagos State: Policemen operating with private cars and without uniforms, name tags and identity cards are no different from armed robbers. At 11:50am, on Saturday, March 4, 2017, a group of armed policemen riding in a grey Pathfinder SUV with registration number AGL 745 CE drove towards Ikotun roundabout in Lagos and started beating and harassing innocent citizens and extorting huge sums of money from them at the same time.

The policemen who only wore T-shirts with the inscription “Anti-Kidnapping Squad” on the back, were led by a tall, thin, dark-skinned man with a short grey beard on his chin who claimed to be an Inspector. The tall, thin, dark, Inspector, claimed that he and his team were members of the police “Anti-Kidnapping Squad” and that they were in Ikotun to arrest kidnappers! The “Inspector” and his men assaulted and harassed innocent youths in the area and each of these youths had to “bail” themselves from the hands of the police anti-kidnapping squad with N5,000. It was simply robbery in broad daylight!

I’m therefore appealing to the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, and all the authorities concerned to investigate the activities of the so-called police “Anti-Kidnapping Squad” in Lagos State operating with a private vehicle (grey Pathfinder SUV) with plate number AGL 745 CE.

Authorities concerned must bring erring policemen to justice and also ensure that armed policemen are henceforth barred from operating with private vehicles without wearing police uniforms and carrying name tags and identity cards.

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